One touch two factor biometric system and method for identification of a user utilizing a portion of the person&#39;s fingerprint and a vein map of the ub-surface of the finger

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for enrollment and verification of a user comprising one touch two factor biometric sensors. An enrollment process creates the baseline abstract identity information for the user. Subsequent verification processes capture new abstract identity information to be matched to the baseline on an encrypted server. A first camera takes a first surface image of a portion of a user&#39;s finger to capture the pattern of friction ridges and valleys and intersection points. A second camera takes a second subsurface image of a vein map below the surface of the user&#39;s finger. These are then fused into a binary format that cannot be reversed to reacquire either the fingerprint or the vein map. The enrollment data and the verification data are then compared to each other in order to determine if they match for authentication of the user.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to the technical fields of biometrics, computer security, physical security, access control, and surveillance.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Fingerprint methods are common biometric measurements for user identification, and in recent years electronic fingerprint scanning has become commonplace. Even though contactless fingerprinting methods are used, it is more standard that the fingerprint is taken by pressing a finger against a computer scanner. Fingerprint image acquisition is considered the critical step of an automated fingerprint authentication system as it determines the fingerprint image quality, which has drastic effects on overall system performance where system performance is typically measured in terms of processing speed and accuracy. Concerning accuracy, “false positives”, where the system determines that there is a match when there is not a match, are the most damaging errors and are to be avoided as much as possible. In the past, the “wet ink technique” was used to obtain fingerprints. With that method, wet ink is applied to the fingertip which is then pressed against or rolled on a white card to obtain the best possible fingerprint image.

The market for biometric identification systems is driven largely by an increasing desire to free people from having to remember passwords. A system that positively identifies a person by any means that does not require memory of a password, physical possession of a key or magnetic card, or other fallible methods is needed for access to secure computing systems, access to secure physical spaces, banking, and other applications where accurate identification of a user is essential.

Presently on the market are various types of computer scanners used as fingerprint readers, but the method behind each type of scanner is to capture and store the fingerprint pattern with sufficient detail of the friction ridges and minutia since they are necessary for later comparison with other known prints. The process for capturing a fingerprint using a sensor consists of rolling or pressing a finger against the sensing area. The sensor itself can operate based on a variety of different principles, such as measurements of electrical resistance of a tested finger and imaging based on thermal or charge coupling devices. In any case, the whole print is needed and if the print taken is inadequate, the user must rescan until the system is able to determine the identity of that person.

The creation of finger decoys by groups of criminals and terrorists have recently prompted the development of blood vessel mapping technology which is expected to partially replace conventional fingerprinting technology. Finger vein scanners have been developed that map the blood vessels below the surface of a person's finger. Veins and other subcutaneous features present robust, stable and largely hidden patterns. An advantage of vein mapping systems is that the human vascular system is a unique and private feature of an individual. For example, identical twins have different and distinct infrared absorption patterns. Moreover, the vein patterns are not directly observed and therefore not easily replicated. The vein pattern will cease to exist only if a person's finger is cut off. Nonetheless, questions still remain as to whether a person's vascular pattern may be subject to change due to medical conditions, level of personal smoking, or based on a simple factor such as hand temperature. Consequently, the use of vein mapping in isolation is problematic.

Security of personal information is currently gaining greater importance. In fact, biometrics authentication technology is attracting attention as a way to ensure security of individuals. Biometrics authentication is authentication technology that uses biological information of a person, and is excellent in terms of convenience and preservation of confidentiality. Examples of known conventional biometrics authentication technology include authentication using a fingerprint, iris, voice, face, or vein on the back of a hand or on the palm side of a finger. In particular, vein biometric authentication is highly fraud-proof in terms of use of in vivo information.

A number of companies are currently manufacturing and marketing fingerprint-based personal identification devices. These products identify a person by reading his or her fingerprint by having the fingerprint come into contact with a fingerprint sensor, recognizing end points and branching points of the fingerprint, and collating them with characteristic points of registered fingerprints. These techniques typically use an image of the fingerprint that may be abstracted into some representation of the fingerprint that is then matched against known fingerprints. Therefore intercepting the fingerprint is an effective way to defeat these systems. Consequently, a second factor can be added to increase reliability.

The easiest two-factor system adds a personal identification number (PIN) or password to the fingerprint scan. This is not a one-touch two-factor technique but it can be effective in ensuring that the person belonging to the fingerprint also knows the PIN. It has two key drawbacks. First, it does not remove the need to remember a password, and second, if the password can be obtained and the fingerprint intercepted, the system can still be defeated.

One current one touch two-factor method and system for characterizing a person uses light imaging devices to take a surface image of at least one fingerprint of a user's finger and the vein map below the surface of the user's finger. Once these images have been taken, they are normally stored in a database for later comparison and verification of the user. Notably, the stored images of a fingerprint can pose serious problems for a user. For instance, the stored fingerprint images of a finger can be replicated or reverse engineered by criminals or terrorists for illegal purposes. A breach of a fingerprint database is far worse than a breach of a password file. Passwords can be changed but fingerprints cannot. Therefore, there is a requirement to avoid any possibility of intercepting fingerprints that could be used maliciously.

A further problem posed by current methods and systems for capturing the image of a user's fingerprint is related to the amount of data that has to be captured. Current methods and systems generally have to capture almost the entire surface area of a user's finger for the information to be useful for later comparison and verification of a person. This leads to errors such as false negatives when verifying a person's fingerprint since so much data has to be compared. This is more of an inconvenience than a security problem because the remedy is to rescan the fingerprint, but as stated earlier, when the fingerprint itself is stored for later comparison, this is where the security problem lies.

United States Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0177767 describes a user-friendly compact system that is used for capturing a vein pattern in a finger. The method involves contact of the finger with the surface. The method operates in reflection mode, where the emitter and detector are on the same side. U.S. Pat. No. 5,751,835 describes capturing capillaries in a fingernail using fibers. The method involves contact of the object with a surface and works in reflection mode. United States Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0058841A1 describes a system embedded in a doorknob that captures vein images in finger. The system works in the transmission mode but the camera is on the opposite side from the palm side of the hand. The method involves contact with the surface.

United States Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0047632A1 acquires a vein pattern in the finger using a transmission mode of operation. U.S. Pat. No. 7,266,223 B2 describes vein pattern acquisition in transmission mode with positioning of the finger being partially by contact and partially without contact. United States Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0007951 describes a system and method for identification of fingerprints and mapping of blood vessels in a finger. The system and method both require a light-imaging device that takes images of the surface and subsurface of a user's finger that has to be rotatable about at least one axis.

Accordingly, there exists a need for physiologically identifying a person by means of a one touch two factor biometric method and system for increasing and ensuring security of individuals that utilizes a portion of a user's fingerprint and the vein map below the surface of the user's finger.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The one touch two factor biometric system utilizes a device that incorporates two sensors that function simultaneously. The surface sensor captures a partial image of the fingerprint that is immediately decomposed into abstract surface data comprising of geometric shapes that uniquely identify that fingerprint. The actual fingerprint image is discarded. The subsurface sensor captures the vascular mapping of the live finger. The two are fused to form the unique signature of that person. An initial enrollment signature is used as a reference for future verification signatures that are compared.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1. The schematic process flow diagram of the invention showing both the enrollment and verification processes and how they are used to approve or deny access. The intermediate data products in this figure are referred to sequentially in the claims. EA1 is referred to as intermediate product one. EA5 is intermediate product five. VA1 is intermediate product six. VA5 is intermediate product ten.

FIG. 2. An embodiment of the sensor configuration that includes a surface image sensor and a subsurface image sensor.

FIG. 3. The processing of the friction ridges and valleys (FRV) data that are extracted from the raw partial image (A), into a unique pattern of vectors (B) which are then processed to form geometric shapes (C). This is then converted into a binary format for further processing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is a currently contemplated mode of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Consequently, for a better understanding of the present invention, its functional advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings, claims and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

The one touch two factor biometric authentication system includes two sensors that function simultaneously 201, 202 (see FIG. 2). The finger (any finger may be used) is placed on the device 203. It is not rolled or moved. The device captures a partial surface image and a subsurface image from the same touch of the finger. Because the system uses a partial surface image, the system is more robust than conventional full fingerprint techniques and will not require multiple scans to complete the verification process. The scanned partial image is used only to produce the abstract surface data and is then discarded. It is never transmitted or stored in any way, eliminating the possibility of loss or theft.

The process begins with the initial enrollment of a new identity. FIG. 1 shows the flowchart where the two sensors 101 (C1 and C2) capture their respective data. C1 takes a single frame image of a portion of the finger 301 (see FIG. 3(A)). That image is used to extract the friction ridges and valleys at intersection points 302. This minutia is referred to as Ei1 102. Simultaneously, C2 captures a single frame image of the vein map below the surface. This uses a known method utilizing an infrared light reflecting off of the hemoglobin in the finger. The process ensures that the finger is live because blood flow is required by the sensor for an accurate reading. The resulting raw data is referred to as Ei2 103.

The friction ridges and valleys form one part of the abstract identity information (FRV). These are raw lines and points 302 (see FIG. 3(B)) and, if captured, cannot be used to accurately produce the original fingerprint. The FRV is processed and converted into a binary form referred to as EA1 104. The FRV data is further processed to determine the intersection points through geometric measurements 303 (see FIG. 3(C)). This is also converted into binary form referred to as EA2 105. EA1 and EA2 constitute the raw abstract identity information. These are used by process G1 to form the unique identifier EA3 106 which is also in binary form. There are several methods for accomplishing process G1. The critical step is not the G1 process but rather the abstract nature of EA1 and EA2. For example, the SHA-2 secure hash function can be used for this purpose.

The subsurface sensor C2 produces a raw image of the vein map just below the surface of the finger. This is referred to as Ei2 103. Similar to the process for Ei1, this is converted into a binary format based on a contrast map of the image (dark and light areas in the image). This forms the fourth part of the abstract identity information, EA4 107. At this point all original data from the sensors is discarded permanently. Neither EA1, EA2, EA3, nor EA4 can be used to reproduce the fingerprint or the vein map, but each is unique to this person's finger.

The enrollment process continues by fusing EA3 and EA4 through the process G2 108. Similarly to the G1 process, there are several cryptographic hash functions that can be used to accomplish this. The result is EA5 which is the final aggregate abstract identity for the finger. EA5 is encrypted and transmitted with certificates to a secure server and stored behind an appropriate firewall 109. In another embodiment, EA3 and EA4 are also transmitted to the same server so that they can be compared in a future verification process separately. If any of the abstract identities, EA3, EA4, or EA5 are intercepted, they cannot be used to reproduce a fingerprint or a vein map. They are merely a unique bit pattern.

The verification process is similar but not identical. This process is used every time a person seeks to identify himself or herself by placing their finger on the device. If the person has not been enrolled, then the enrollment process must be completed before a verification can be made. While the system is not particular about which finger is used for authentication, the same finger must be used in verification that was used for enrollment.

The same two sensors are used in verification as were used in enrollment (C1 and C2) 110. They capture raw data in the same form as enrollment but since this is a separate process, these are new data, Vi1 from the surface sensor and Vi2 from the subsurface sensor 111. Vi1 has the same two parts as Ei1 and has raw data components VA1 which are specific to the FRV and VA2 which adds intersection data. These are fused using the same process (G1) that was used in the enrollment procedure 112. This results in VA3 which is a binary representation of the fused data. Similarly, Vi2 also is converted into a binary representation VA4 113. These processes are identical to those described for the enrollment procedure.

Abstract identity information VA3 and VA4 are then fused using process G3 114. G3 is assumed to be a different process than G1 or G2 (see [28] below) but it can be the same. The resulting abstract identity information (VA5) is then encrypted and transmitted to the server with certificates 115. This is the “key” that will be used in the comparison process to determine the identity of this person.

VA5 is decrypted by the server and the one-time use certificate is immediately verified. If any failure occurs during the decryption process, the system returns a negative result and access is denied. If the certificates are legitimate, then the inverse of the G3 process is applied to the decrypted VA5 data 116. Recall that G3 is assumed not to be the same process as G2. Therefore, after the inverse of G3 is applied, G2 is applied so that the resulting VA5 is in the same format as EA5 which is now ready for comparison 117. If VA5 is a match to EA5, then there is a match and access is approved 119. If it does not match, then access is denied 118.

It should be understood that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It should also be understood that the present invention is not limited to the designs mentioned in this application and the equivalent designs in this description, but it is also intended to cover other equivalents now known to those skilled in the art, or those equivalents, which may become known to those skilled in the art in the future.

There are several key advantages to the invention disclosed herein. That the person need not remember a password or PIN in order to be identified is a desirable attribute. Also, the fact that the person makes one action (placing the finger on the device) that triggers two separate authentication processes is an advantage. No second action is required unless the first attempt fails. The system uses only a portion of the person's fingerprint for authentication. At no time is the entire print taken, stored, or transmitted. This is critical for the security of the biometric data. The system is as efficient and accurate, if not more so, than existing methods, yet its security and convenience features are novel and superior. The system contains inherent security features that other systems do not. The inability to reverse the process from any of the intermediate data formats (EA3/VA3, EA4/VA4, or EA5/VA5) back to the original sensor signal is critical. Even if the encryption feature were to be defeated, the resulting data would not be useful.

The transmitted abstract identity data from the enrollment process (EA5) is an encrypted binary bit pattern of a specific size. Even if the data were intercepted, it would not be useful to recreate either the fingerprint or the vein map of the person. However, it would be possible to use it in its binary form in the verification process. If a copy of a person's full abstract identity information (either EA5 or VA5) was to be intercepted, it would be possible to use it in future verifications to match to the true EA5. However, when used as intended, every time the person verifies by placing their finger on the device, the resulting VA5 will be slightly different because the user never places the finger on the sensor in exactly the same way twice. Therefore, the system checks if an exact bit pattern for VA5 has ever been used to verify a person previously. If it has, then the system can request a re-verification. If the person is legitimate, a new VA5 is produced that is slightly different, but within tolerances to verify. If the person is not legitimate, the exact same bit pattern is transmitted and the system denies access and alerts the user of a breach.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION

The invention described herein is useful in any industrial application where highly accurate personal identification is desired and the finger of the person to be identified is readily available. There are many examples in information technology pertaining to some form of secure data access that would benefit. The ability to use the invention with or without an added password (which would constitute a third factor) is an advantage. While data access examples do apply, the invention is not limited to the information technology domain. Physical access applications such as securing a doorway or accessing a secure deposit box at a bank will benefit from this improved security method. Ensuring that a user is an authorized user of a physical device such as an automobile, a handgun or another specific-user device will also benefit from the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for enrollment and verification of a human, comprising: a one touch two factor enrollment image reader having a first enrollment camera, capacitive sensor or ultrasonic reader or other fingerprint reader, and a second enrollment camera, wherein the first enrollment device takes a first enrollment image of a portion of a user's fingerprint to capture the pattern of the friction ridges and valleys and the intersection points, wherein the second enrollment camera takes a second enrollment mage of a vein map below the surface of the user's finger; and a one touch two factor verification image reader having a first verification camera and a second verification camera, wherein the first verification camera takes a first verification image of a portion of the user's finger to capture the pattern of the friction ridges and valleys and the intersection points, wherein the second verification camera takes a second verification image of a vein map below the surface of the user's finger; and the verification data is compared to the enrollment data to authenticate the user.
 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first enrollment image taken of the fingerprint pattern of friction ridges and valleys being converted into binary code forming intermediate product one; and the first enrollment image taken of the fingerprint intersection points being isolated and manipulated by geometric measurements and formulated calculations forming intermediate product two; and wherein intermediate product one and intermediate product two are fused in the first calculation process to determine the surface image enrollment identifier forming intermediate product three; and the second enrollment image taken of the vein map of the finger being converted into binary code based on the dark and white areas of the vein map to determine the subsurface image enrollment identifier forming intermediate product four; and wherein a biometric enrollment lock for the user is generated by fusing intermediate product three and intermediate product four into the second calculation process forming product five; and wherein product five being the user's enrollment unique identifier.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein product five being transmitted to the server through an encrypted process with one time transmission certificates being stored on a database behind at least one firewall of a server.
 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first verification image taken of the fingerprint pattern of friction ridges and valleys being converted into binary code forming intermediate product six; and the first verification image taken of the fingerprint intersection points being isolated and manipulated by geometric measurements and formulated calculations forming intermediate product seven; and wherein intermediate product six and intermediate product seven are fused in the first calculation process to determine the surface image verification identifier forming intermediate product eight; and the second verification image taken of the vein map of the finger being converted into binary code based on the dark and white areas of the vein map to determine the subsurface image enrollment identifier forming intermediate product nine; and wherein a biometric verification identifier for the user is generated by fusing intermediate product eight and intermediate product nine into the third calculation process forming intermediate product ten; and wherein product ten being the user's verification identifier.
 5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein product ten being transmitted to the server through an encrypted process with one time transmission certificates.
 6. The apparatus according to claims 3 and 5, wherein an inverse of intermediate product ten being generated by reverse application of the third fusing calculation process; and whereby the second calculation process being applied to the inverted intermediate product ten such that intermediate products ten and five are compared.
 7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein access being approved if intermediate product ten and intermediate product five match; and access being denied if intermediate product ten and intermediate product five do not match.
 8. A method for enrollment and verification of a human using a one touch two factor authentication process, the method comprising the steps: taking a first enrollment image of a portion of the surface of a user's fingerprint to capture friction ridges and valleys and intersection points using a first enrollment camera to produce the surface image enrollment identifier; taking a second enrollment image of the vein map of the user's finger below the surface of the finger using a second enrollment camera to product the subsurface image enrollment identifier; fusing the surface image enrollment identifier with the subsurface image enrollment identifier to produce the user's unique enrollment identifier; taking a first verification image of a portion of the surface of a user's fingerprint to capture friction ridges and valleys and intersection points using a first verification camera to produce the surface image verification identifier; taking a second verification image of the vein map of the user's finger below the surface of the finger using a second verification camera to produce the subsurface image verification identifier; fusing the surface image verification identifier with the subsurface image verification identifier to produce the user's verification identifier; comparing the user's verification identifier to the user's unique enrollment identifier; returning an approval code if the verification and enrollment identifiers match; returning a denial code if the verification and enrollment identifiers do not match.
 9. The method according to claim 8, wherein producing the surface image enrollment identifier comprises the steps: converting the friction ridges and valleys portion of the first enrollment image into binary code forming intermediate product one for fusing with intersection point data; converting the intersection point portion of the first enrollment age into binary code forming intermediate product two for fusing with intermediate product one; fusing intermediate product one and intermediate product two using the first calculation process to determine the surface image enrollment identifier forming intermediate product three which is the surface image enrollment identifier.
 10. The method according to claim 8, wherein producing the subsurface image enrollment identifier comprises: converting the vein map from the second enrollment binary code based on the dark and white areas of the vein map forming intermediate product four for fusing with intermediate product three.
 11. The method according to claim 8, wherein producing the user's unique enrollment identifier comprises the steps: fusing intermediate product three with intermediate product four using the second calculation process to determine a biometric enrollment lock for the user forming intermediate product five; transmitting intermediate product five to the server using an encrypted process with one time transmission certificates being stored on a database behind at least one firewall.
 12. The method according to claim 8, wherein producing the surface image verification identifier comprises the steps: converting the friction ridges and valleys portion of the first verification image into binary code forming intermediate product six for fusing with intersection point data; converting the intersection point portion of the first verification image into binary code forming intermediate product seven for fusing with intermediate product six; fusing intermediate product six and intermediate product seven using the first calculation process to determine the surface image verification identifier forming intermediate product eight which is the surface image verification identifier.
 13. The method according to claim 8, wherein producing the subsurface image verification identifier comprises: converting the vein map from the second verification image into binary code based on the dark and white areas of the vein map forming intermediate product nine for fusing with intermediate product eight.
 14. The method according to claim 8, wherein producing the user's verification identifier comprises the steps: fusing intermediate product eight with intermediate product nine using the third calculation process to determine the verification identifier for the user forming intermediate product ten; transmitting intermediate product ten to the server using an encrypted process with one time transmission certificates.
 15. The method according to claim 8, wherein the comparison of the user's unique enrollment identifier to the verification identifier comprises the steps: applying the inverse of the third calculation process to intermediate product ten to produce intermediate product eight and intermediate product nine; applying the second calculation process to intermediate product eight and intermediate product nine to produce intermediate product ten than can be compared to intermediate product five; comparing intermediate product five to intermediate product ten to determine if they match; returning an approval code if there is a match; returning a denial code if there is not a match.
 16. A system for enrollment and verification of a user using a one touch two factor authentication process, the system comprising: a one touch two factor enrollment image reader having a first enrollment camera and a second enrollment camera, wherein the first enrollment camera takes a first enrollment image of a portion of a user's fingerprint to capture the pattern of the friction ridges and valleys and the intersection points, wherein the second enrollment camera takes a second enrollment image of a vein map below the surface of the user's finger; and a one touch two factor verification image reader having a first verification camera and a second verification camera, wherein the first verification camera takes a first verification image of a portion of the user's finger to capture the pattern of the friction ridges and valleys and the intersection points, wherein the second verification camera takes a second verification image of a vein map below the surface of the user's finger; and the verification data is compared to the enrollment data to authenticate the user.
 17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the first enrollment image taken of the fingerprint pattern of friction ridges and valleys being converted into binary code forming intermediate product one; and the first enrollment image taken of the fingerprint intersection points being isolated and manipulated by geometric measurements and formulated calculations forming intermediate product two; and wherein intermediate product one and intermediate product two are fused in the first calculation process to determine the surface image enrollment identifier forming intermediate product three; and the second enrollment image taken of the vein map of the finger being converted into binary code based on the dark and white areas of the vein map to determine the subsurface image enrollment identifier forming intermediate product four; and wherein a biometric enrollment lock for the user is generated by fusing intermediate product three and intermediate product four into the second calculation process forming product five; and wherein product five being the user's enrollment unique identifier.
 18. The system according to claim 17, wherein product five being transmitted to the server through an encrypted process with one time transmission certificates being stored on a database behind at least one firewall of a server.
 19. The system according to claim 16, wherein the first verification image taken of the fingerprint pattern of friction ridges and valleys being converted into binary code forming intermediate product six; and the first verification image taken of the fingerprint intersection points being isolated and manipulated by geometric measurements and formulated calculations forming intermediate product seven; and wherein intermediate product six and intermediate product seven are fused in the first calculation process to determine the surface image verification identifier forming intermediate product eight; and the second verification image taken of the vein map of the finger being converted into binary code based on the dark and white areas of the vein map to determine the subsurface image enrollment identifier forming intermediate product nine; and wherein a biometric verification identifier for the user is generated by fusing intermediate product eight and intermediate product nine into the third calculation process forming intermediate product ten; and wherein product ten being the user's verification identifier.
 20. The system according to claim 19, wherein product being transmitted to the server through an encrypted process with one time transmission certificates.
 21. The system according to claims 18 and 20, wherein an inverse of intermediate product ten being generated by reverse application of the third fusing calculation process; and whereby the second calculation process being applied to the inverted intermediate product ten such that intermediate products ten and five are compared.
 22. The system according to claim 21, wherein access being approved if intermediate product ten and intermediate product five match; and access being denied if intermediate product ten and intermediate product five do not match. 